Health

Federal Government Failing to Protect Children, Report Says

Published

9 years ago

January 27, 2015

Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell, right, confers with Commissioners Theresa Martha Covington (center) and Patricia M. Martin (left) before the CECANF public meeting in Burlington, Vermont, on October 23, 2014. (Alison Redlich/AP Images for CECANF)

HOLBROOK MOHR and GARANCE BURKE, Associated Press

The federal government’s failure to enforce the nation’s child protection laws is a “national disgrace” that leaves abused children vulnerable to future harm, according to a three-year study by two child advocacy groups.

The 110-page report released Tuesday identified some of the same failures reported in December by The Associated Press after an eight-month investigation into hundreds of children who died of abuse or neglect in plain view of child protection authorities.

“Our laws are weak. We don’t invest in solutions. Federal laws aren’t enforced. And courts are turning their backs. This creates a trifecta of inertia and neglect,” said Amy Harfeld, policy director at the Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law, which wrote the report with the nonprofit group First Star.

AP’s investigation, published Dec. 18, also revealed a system in crisis, hobbled by weak federal oversight, budget constraints, worker shortages and a voluntary data collection system so flawed that nobody can say with accuracy how many children die from abuse or neglect each year.

The AP found that at least 786 children died of abuse and neglect over a six-year span — many of them beaten, starved or left alone to drown — while agencies had good reason to know they were in danger. That figure represents the most comprehensive statistics publicly available, but the actual number who died even as authorities were investigating their families or providing some form of protective services is likely much higher because antiquated confidentiality laws allow many states to withhold vital information, shrouding their failures.

The federal government estimates an average of about 1,650 children have died annually from abuse or neglect in recent years, whether or not they were known to the child welfare system, but many experts believe the actual number is twice as high. And many more suffer from near-fatal abuse and neglect every year.

“Almost everything that happens to these children is cloaked in endemic secrecy, and most efforts by the media and advocates to provide the public with much needed transparency — which leads to accountability — are thwarted by the very governmental entities and officials who have turned their backs on their official duties to children,” the groups said.

Michael Petit, who was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the Federal Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities and serves as adviser to the advocacy group Every Child Matters, said he agreed with what he has read thus far in the report, entitled “Shame on U.S.”

“The report is saying what a lot of people have been experiencing,” Petit said, who wasn’t speaking on the commission’s behalf. “I share many of those sentiments that the federal government is not providing the kind of oversight needed.”

The Children’s Advocacy Institute and First Star fault all three branches of federal government for failing to protect children.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for implementing and enforcing federal child welfare laws and programs, but the agency largely takes a hands-off approach, allowing states to self-certify that they are in compliance with federal requirements.

“There is no meaningful oversight and the states know it,” the report said.

Agency spokeswoman Laura Goulding did not immediately return a call and an email seeking comment on the report Monday.

Congress needs to mandate that HHS impose fines, withhold funds or take other punitive actions when states don’t follow federal regulations, the report said.

Because HHS and Congress so rarely hold states accountable for their failings, filing a lawsuit is usually the only way private parties can challenge problems within the child welfare system. But lawsuits are time consuming, expensive and often limited in their reach, covering violations in only one state or county rather than widespread systemic failures, the groups said.

“Federal courts have turned their backs on private attempts to enforce federal child welfare law and Congress has shown little interest in advancing the law itself,” the report said.

Emily Douglas, a child welfare expert at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Mass., called the report’s findings about the judicial branch’s shortcomings particularly revealing.

“When something goes wrong, usually you hear that the state child welfare agency is a wreck or that the governor is stepping in to fire someone,” Douglas said. “But increasingly judges are going to be on the radar about the important role that they play in determining these kids’ safety. Judges are not trained social workers, so are we sure they always know the risk factors when deciding children should be sent back home?”

———

The AP National Investigative Team can be reached at investigate@ap.org

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

China Moves to Accept Imports of All US Apple Varieties

Don't Miss

After the Medical Students ‘Die-In,’ What Next at UCSF?

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Bay Area

Mind, Body, and Spiritual Well-Being for Women Addressed in NAACP Forum in Oakland

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is proud to announce the upcoming “Total You – Mind, Body, and Spirit Women’s Health Forum” scheduled for April 27 at Acts Full Gospel Church. Running from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1034 66th Ave., this forum aims to provide an empowering platform for women to engage in discussions, gain knowledge, and access resources pertaining to their health and well-being.

Published

1 week ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

The panel will address various aspects of women’s health, including physical, mental and emotional well-being and relationships. iStock photo by Jorge Elizaquibel.

Special to The Post

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is proud to announce the upcoming “Total You – Mind, Body, and Spirit Women’s Health Forum” scheduled for April 27 at Acts Full Gospel Church.

Running from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1034 66^th Ave., this forum aims to provide an empowering platform for women to engage in discussions, gain knowledge, and access resources pertaining to their health and well-being.

The forum will feature renowned experts, healthcare professionals, and advocates from Genentech, John Muir Health, Sutter Health of The East Bay, Kaiser Permanente, and the Alameda County Public Health Department.

Our expert panel will address various aspects of women’s health, including physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and healthy relationships. The forum will encompass a wide range of topics such as breast cancer, menopause, reproductive health, nutrition, mental health awareness, preventive care, and much more.

Participants will have the opportunity to attend informative sessions, interactive workshops, and panel discussions led by experts in their respective fields. Additionally, there will be wellness activities, screenings, and informational booths offering valuable resources and support.

This forum is open to women of all ages and backgrounds, encouraging inclusivity and diversity in the conversation surrounding women’s health. Whether you’re seeking information for yourself, a loved one, or simply looking to connect with other women, this event promises to be enlightening and empowering.

For more information and to register for the Total You Women’s Health Forum, please visit https://www.naacpoakland.org/ or contact Dr. Delores Thompson. WIN chairwoman at (510) 328-3638.

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is dedicated to empowering women, and young teen girls. We look forward to your participation in this important event.

To register, go to https://www.naacpoakland.org/events/the-total-you-womens-health-forum

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

Oakland Conducts Its Biennial ‘Point in Time’ Homelessness Count

Oakland, along with other cities in Alameda County, conducted their biennial ‘Point In Time’ census count on Feb. 1 to gain a thorough understanding of the size and dispersion of the homeless population in the region. The Point In Time (PIT) count is federally required by the Housing and Urban Development Department as a requirement to receive funding and resources to tackle homelessness in the area.

Published

1 week ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

Abandoned vehicles on 24th and Wood St where volunteers conducted the count and surveys. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

By Magaly Muñoz

The Point In Time (PIT) count is federally required by the Housing and Urban Development Department as a requirement to receive funding and resources to tackle homelessness in the area.

David Modersbach, Grants Manager of Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless program, said that the methodology this time around was different, as this count had a much more personal “lived experience” aspect that previous counts did not have.

In 2022, the county relied more on statistical extrapolation and assumptions, but this year’s survey questionnaires allowed for details on substance abuse issues, how long someone has been living without proper housing, what resources people are in need of and much more.

“[The PIT count is] a critical opportunity for the county, Continuum of Care, and cities to understand the magnitude of homelessness in Alameda County. [The count] enables us to better allocate resources and implement effective programs to tackle this issue head-on in a compassionate and inclusive way,” Modersbach said.

St. Mary’s Center was one of the many meeting hubs across the county that hosted volunteers and community officials the morning of the count. The organization has been deeply involved in the effort to provide resources for unhoused people and others in need.

St. Mary’s is a nonprofit in West Oakland that helps seniors and preschool families with food and housing. Last year, the organization helped about 50 seniors find housing after they had fallen on hard times.

Sharon Cornu, executive director of St. Mary’s, said a lot of the older couples and individuals that come into the center have borne the brunt of the skyrocketing cost of living in the Bay Area. The most recent influx of seniors St. Mary’s has seen coming in for help has been made up of people who were evicted when the COVID-19-related moratorium on rent payment ended.

“Seniors are the fastest growing segment of the unhoused and the incredibly high cost of housing is driving them to the streets,” Cornu said.

Among the volunteers were workers with Operation Dignity, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans and those living on the street find shelter, transitional housing and supportive services.

“These are our stomping grounds,” Ivan Magana, program manager for Operation Dignity said.

Magana stated that his team was extremely familiar with the people residing in the encampments they were conducting the count in since Operation Dignity made many visits to these areas while doing community outreach. He said they had even informed some of the unhoused people they knew about the count a few days prior so they would not be alarmed when the enumerators showed up early in the morning to conduct the count.

Not everyone got the memo though, as the volunteers encountered an almost violent situation around the 6 a.m. when a young woman living in a bus yelled at the Operation Dignity workers to leave her alone.

Luckily, the three-year experience Mangana has working with Operation Dignity and his knowledge of therapeutic health services, equipped him with the techniques needed to deescalate the tension. The woman soon realized who the volunteers were and apologized, he said.

Another volunteer and Operation Dignity worker, Yolanda Kirkpatrick, noted that she was initially hesitant because of the early schedule. She felt the time deterred others from participating, too.

Her prediction would come true as the hours went on and they continued to walk along 24th St in downtown Oakland and there was very little activity on the streets.

The volunteers shared similar sentiments. Although the community the people they were engaging for the count and surveys encounter tend to distrust outsiders, the PIT count was necessary for the city to receive the appropriate level of federal funds to address a crisis that is spiraling out of control in California.

A full analysis and report of the count will be made available in the summer.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Community

For Cervical Cancer Month, Medical Community Focused on Education

January was Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Physicians, advocates and others in the medical community commemorated the month by raising awareness about a form of cancer they say is highly preventable and treatable. Cervical cancer is caused by a virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV) and it develops slowly over time but can be prevented with proper care in girls as young as 13 years old.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

A Mayo Clinic article published last month stated that Black women are more likely to be diagnosed and die of cervical cancer, compared to White women in the U.S. 2,000 Black women are diagnosed every year with cervical cancer and 40% die as a result.

By Magaly Muñoz

January was Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

Physicians, advocates and others in the medical community commemorated the month by raising awareness about a form of cancer they say is highly preventable and treatable.

Cervical cancer is caused by a virus called the human papillomavirus (HPV) and it develops slowly over time but can be prevented with proper care in girls as young as 13 years old.

Sonia Ordonez, an OBGYN and gynecology surgeon at Kaiser Permanente, stated that as soon as people with cervixes reach the maturity reproductive age, they should start taking preventative measures like getting the HPV vaccine. The vaccine involves a series of two-doses for people aged 9 through 14 or three-doses for people 15 through 45 years old.

“I see a lot of young women who can’t remember or may not have gotten [the vaccine] when they were younger, or maybe got one, but we can give them the series of vaccines and restart at any point in time,” Ordonez said.

She said that cervical cancer is not the only cancer caused by HPV. Strains of the virus can also lead to throat, anal and penile cancers.

Screening is also an effective way to check for cervical cancer and should be done every three years after someone turns 21, doctors recommend. It is best to start as early as possible to catch occurrences early.

Ordonez said that this cancer is also more likely found in people of color and has led to more deaths overall.

A Mayo Clinic article published last month stated that Black women are more likely to be diagnosed and die of cervical cancer, compared to White women in the U.S.

2,000 Black women are diagnosed every year with cervical cancer and 40% die as a result.

“This disparity is not due to genetic differences among White, Black or Hispanic women, but rather related to systemic racism, access to healthcare and socioeconomic factors,” Dr. Olivia Cardenas-Trowers, a Mayo Clinic urogynecologist, said in the article.

Ordonez stated that immigrant women are also highly susceptible to the cancer, as many Latin American countries may not have accessibility to screenings or lack of insurance makes it harder for them to get tested.

Hispanic women are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer, and 30% more likely to die from it, as compared to non-Hispanic White women, according to the Office of Minority Health.

Family medicine physician, Joy Anyanwu, stated that the pandemic contributed to hesitancy about getting cervical cancer screenings among some women. Other factors are people’s aversion to vaccines, parents not wanting to believe that their children are or will become sexually active, and doubt about the overall effectiveness of the vaccine.

“The vaccine is very safe — over 97% effective in preventing cervical cancer,” Anyanwu said. “Even if you aren’t having sex, the earlier you start would actually help.”

Anyanwu said she understands that parents might not want to ask questions about their children’s reproductive health, but it’s a mindset that can be a barrier to having important conversation about prevention or care.

To keep families their families and communties healthy, the doctor emphasized that people should prioritize keeping up with their vaccine series and going to screenings every year.